I would have never believed a man of his size could squeeze through that opening. We continued on and entered the airplane.
I found my seat number and placed my suitcase into the overhead compartment. Then I sat with great relief and looked through the window at the airport security men standing around an injured Vernon. I estimated the drop from the height he took was ten to fifteen feet. While I watched the police pick him up off the pavement, Trisha sat down next to me.
“What are you looking at? What’s happening out there?” she asked.
“McCarthy jumped. Looks like he broke something in his fall,” I said, turning around to hug her. “I’m sorry, I just didn’t know what to do. He kept saying he had people following you, and if I tried to warn someone, he would have you killed,” I blurted out. Tears were welling up in my eyes.
“Oh, Susan. You were so brave,” she said, hugging me back.
Larry passed by us through the narrow aisle and gave me the ‘thumbs up.’
Then a man in a security uniform leaned over.
“Mrs. Edwards, we are going to need a statement from you,” he said.
Trisha got out of the seat next to me.
“Here, use this seat,” she said and made her way in back of me to sit by her husband.
“Look, I can’t tell you much, except he was the man who held me captive on the ship in the cargo hold and just now kidnapped me before we got on the plane. You did put him under custody, didn’t you?” I inquired.
“Yes, we have. The plane and the rest of the passengers are on hold until I leave,” he said, pulling out a small notebook. “Write down everything you remember from the ship to the present. Sign and date it and I’ll consider that your statement. In order to contact you further, please also list your phone number.
I looked at him and at the notepad. There wasn’t any hesitation from me. I grabbed the square tablet and his pen and began writing as fast as I could. After filling up five pages, I signed, dated it, and wrote down my phone number for him.
“Thank you, Mrs. Edwards. I wish you a good flight,” he said and rose out of the seat next to me and made his way back toward the front exit.
Once he left the airplane, the passengers waiting in the back of the jet tube in the concourse were now allowed to board.
I looked out of my window again and noticed the security team had left. Vernon McCarthy was gone. I kept asking myself if there was anything I could have done in a different manner but nothing came to mind. Once our plane filled up with passengers, the overhead speakers from the pilot instructed us to buckle up and get ready for takeoff.
Sitting there with the empty seat beside me made me feel so alone. I was glad to see David one last time before I got on board. “How will I contact him?” I asked myself, surprised that I hadn’t thought of Henry for some time.
Once we were in the air and the fasten seatbelt signs came off, Trisha walked over and sat with me.
“Are you feeling a little better?” she asked.
“I keep mulling over in my mind what else I could have done and the results keep coming out the same. He had me convinced you were in danger,” I said.
“But you did do somethings. You left Lorilee’s business card and your signed receipt. The kiosk clerk alerted Larry,” she said.
“I thought Vernon tore that up.”
“I guess the manager wanted to save it and she put it back together. Then we spotted your blond hair at the head of the boarding line.”
“I saw you walking by us while we were in a little café. He made me buy this scarf to cover my hair up. I don’t want to touch this again. Here, you take it,” I said, handing over the fabric.
“It is lovely, but if you want me to have it–”
“I do. I think I’ll get some shuteye. Wake me when the meal cart comes by.” I said to her.
“I will. You rest, Susan.”
I was running. Somebody was chasing after me. A red and blue parrot flew over my head. Diamonds rained down all around me.
“Sail a ship, sail a ship. Oops,” the bird squawked.
Ivan stood off to my side but now his face looked like Henry. He began to laugh. Why was Henry laughing at me? No, the face soon morphed into Vernon. He poked me in the arm with his gun...
I awoke to Trisha’s nudging.
“The meals are coming. I’ll make sure she stops,” she said.
I nodded and attempted to clear my thoughts from my odd images. Only some of my dreams had been real. Trisha did her job and commandeered a turkey sandwich for me.
She made small talk and reminded me of all the good things we saw and did on our cruise.
“Remember the whales we saw jump up and down?” she related.
“I do, and the seagulls on the pier when a fisherman dropped a small fish over to them. I’ll just remember the good times,” I replied.
“I was going to return to my seat,” Trisha began, “but it looks like Larry found some man to talk to. We have a couple of hours left before we land in Phoenix.”
“How close is our next flight scheduled?” I asked.
“Larry has the paperwork, but I think we have a couple of hours to locate a snack if we want to and find our gate. Why don’t you snooze some more? I’m not going anywhere,” she said.
“Thanks,” I said and leaned over near the window.
As much as I dread going back to snow country, I was happy to be
